Rotary forging apparatus



June 10, 1969 L. D. HOLUM 3,448,601

ROTARY FORGING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 19s? Sheet of 5 June 10, 1969 D. HOLUM 3,448,601

ROTARY FORGING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1967 7 Sheet 2 of 3 June 10, 1969 L. D, HOLUM 3,448,601

ROTARY FORGI NG APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1967 Sheet 3 oiS United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to metal forming devices and particularly a rotary forging apparatus and to means for feeding metal forging slugs to such apparatus.

Cross-reference to related inventions This invention is related to my co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 579,762 for a rotary forging apparatus.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a rotary forging apparatus and to means for supplying such apparatus with forging blanks or slugs. The invention, while not limited thereto, was conceived in relation to forging balls for which it is especially adapted.

The prior art, aside from the well-known reciprocating forging apparatus, includes rotary forging devices wherein the forging dies are made to approach one another rectilinearly immediately preceding and during the forging operation. One such device is shown in United States Patent No. 3,239,912 granted to J. R. Baumgartner et a1. Mar. 15, 1966. This device shows a pair of forging wheels supporting a plurality of forging dies mounted on rock shafts. Each of such forging dies carries an arm provided with a cam follower roller operating in a stationary cam slot. The cam slot is formed so that the forging die faces are directed outwardly during rotation of the forging wheel until a point immediately preceding the die closing phase of each rotation whereupon the dies are rotated about the rock shaft so that the twoclosing dies are in opposed relation and close rectilimearly. In this type of device feeding a slug to the dies is facilitated since the slug is received while the die faces are angularly disposed to one another.

In my above-identified copending patent application I have described a rotary forging apparatus wherein the forging dies mounted on the pair of forging wheels are maintained in opposed relation continuously through the rotation of such wheels. While such devices provide numerous structural and operational advantages, it has been found that feed mechanisms shown in the prior :art are inadequate for transferring the forging slug to the rectilinearly approaching forging dies. Moreover, prior art feed mechanisms are inadequate in other respects which the present invention overcomes.

Summary of the invention The present invention contemplates a forging apparatus including a device for deforming a metal slug or blank and the mechanism for feeding such slug to the device. In the preferred form, the forging or deforming device includes a pair of forging wheels mounted on vertical stationary spaced apart shafts and rotated in a horizontal plane. Each of the forging wheels is provided with a plurality of die carriers and a forging die mounted on each such carrier. The dies on the two forging wheels are complementary. The dies are aligned and maintained in continuous opposed relation by gear means so that the pair of complementary forging dies closes rectilinearly once during the course of rotation of the forging wheels. Forging slugs are fed to the deforming device by a transfer 3,448,601 Patented June 10, 1969 ice wheel which is synchronously indexed with the rotation of the forging wheels. On the periphery of the wheel a plurality of slug holding means are mounted and each of these holding means receives a slug while the wheel is stationary from a cut-off ram which severs the slug from bar or rod stock of suitable metal. The slug holding means are positioned so that as a slug is received, a second slug is extracted from one of the other holding means by the rectilinear closing of the forging dies.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of a rotary forging apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the forging apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the forging apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed plan partial sectional view of the feed mechanism of the forging apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation sectional View taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiment Briefly, the forging apparatus, designated generally by the reference numeral 20 comprises a frame 22 including an upper horizontal member 24 and a lower horizontal member 26 supported on a floor by a plurality of feet. The apparatus 20 includes a pair of forging wheels, designated generally by the reference numerals 28 and 30, mounted on vertical, spaced apart stationary shafts 32 and 34, respectively. Mounted on upper member 24 is a power source 36, such as an electric motor, having an output shaft 38 and drive gear 40. Since both of the forging wheels 28 and 30 are identical in all respects, it will suffice to describe one of such forging wheels.

Forging wheel 28 comprises a large driven gear 42 engaging the driven gear on forging wheel 30 which, in turn, engages the drive gear 40 for rotating the forging wheels in synchronism. Mounted below driven gear 42 is epicyclic gear train 44 including a fixed gear 46 mounted on stationary shaft 34 and three idler gears 48 engaging fixed gear 46 and also engaging three die carrier gears 50. Mounted below gear train 44 on stationary shaft 34 is a die carrier housing, designated generally by the reference numeral 52. Idler gears 48 are mounted on shafts radially spaced from stationary shaft 34 and journalled in driven gear 42 and carrier housing 52 and are equally spaced circumferentially. Die carrier gears 50 are also equally spaced circumferentially and are further radially spaced from fixed shaft 34. Die carrier gears 50 are mounted on shafts journalled in die carrier housing 52 and are not in contact with driven gear 42.

Die carrier housing 52 is generally triangular in shape with truncated corners and has an opening in each of the corners. In each such openings, a die carrier 54 is rotatably mounted therein and is fixedly secured to the shaft carrying die carrier gear 50. On each die carrier 54 is mounted a forging die 56, the dies on the two forging wheels, 28 and 30, being complementary.

In operation the forging wheels 28 and 30 are continuously rotated through motor 36, drive gear 40 and driven gears 42. Rotation of driven gears 42 causes rotation of idler gears 48 around the circumference of fixed gear 46 thereby rotating die carrier gears 50 about their axes. Die carrier gears 50 are also rotated in a circular path around fixed shaft 34. Since die carrier gears 50 are constructed with the same number of teeth as fixed gear 46, epicyclic gear train 44 will effect a rotation of die carriers 54 so that the forging dies 56 thereon remain in continuous opposed relation during rotation of the die carrier housing 52. Considering the two forging wheels 28 and 30, it will be appreciated that complementary forging dies 56 move in tangential circular paths. It is apparent therefore that forging dies 56 On the forging wheels 28 and 30 will close or approach each other rectilinearly, i.e., without relative angular movement, and each pair of forging dies will be brought into tangential contact once during each revolution of forging dies 28 and 30 so as to effect the forging operation.

Having described the forging or deforming device and explained its operation, the feed mechanism will be explained in relation thereto. The feed mechanism is shown generally by the reference numeral 60 and comprises a blank or slug transfer wheel 62 mounted in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the forging dies rotate and spaced equidistantly from fixed shafts 32 and 34. Transfer wheel 62 is mounted on shaft 64 supported in bearing 66 secured in upright frame members 68, as seen best in FIGURES 1 and 2. Upper frame member 24 includes a slot 70 for receiving transfer wheel 62. Also mounted on shaft 64 is transfer wheel drive gear 72 fixedly secured to the shaft and clutch and brake assembly 74 interconnecting drive gear 72 and transfer wheel 62. Clutch and brake assembly 74 may be any type well known in the art and interconnects gear 72 and transfer wheel 62 only when gear 72 is rotated in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 3, as will be explained more fully hereafter.

Transfer wheel 62 is provided with a plurality of notches or openings 76 formed in the peripheral edge thereof, as seen best in FIGURES and 6. Mounted in each notch 76 is slug holding means 78 comprising a pair of resilient arms 80 fixedly secured on spaced-apart pins 82 secured in notch 76. Resilient arms 80 are biased together and upper portion 84 of each slug holding clip 78 is formed and adapted to receive a cylindrical forging blank or slug and securely holding such slug until extraction from forging dies 56. It will be understood that the particular configuration and bias means of the slug holding clips is not critical to the invention except that such clips must be adapted to receive and release a slug in a radial direction by forcing such slug into or out of resiliently biased arms. Each of such clips project radially from the periphery of transfer wheel 62 and has a width, preferably, as seen in FIGURE 7, which is less than the length of the forging slug to be carried.

Mounted on upper member 24 on one side of slot 70 is a pair of bar or rod stock feed rollers 86 and a shear and guide block 88. Mounted on upper member 24 on the other side of the slot 70 is cut-off ram housing 94 including cut-off ram 96. Ram 96 is preferably hydraulically operated and the reciprocal movement thereof is synchro nized with the rotation of forging apparatus wheels 28 and 30 through synchronization control means 98. A cut-off element 100 is mounted on ram 96 and also mounted thereon is a gear rack 102 engaging stock transfer wheel drive gear 72, as seen best in FIGURE 3.

In operation, forging rod or bar stock 104 is advanced by feed rollers 86 into guide and shear block 88. Suitable stop means may be mounted on ram housing 94 for determining the length of the slugs to be several from stock 104 and fed into forging apparatus 20. The projecting segment of rod stock 104 is severed to form a forging slug 106 by the downward movement of ram 96 which simultaneously forces slug 106 downward into slug holding clip 78. At this moment, stock transfer wheel 62 is at rest so as to effectuate the loading of slug 106.

During the downstroke of ram 96, gear rack 102 engages stock transfer wheel drive gear 72 and clutch 74 is disengaged so that stock transfer wheel 72 remains stationary. On the up-stroke of ram 96, wheel 62 is rotated through an are equal to 360 divided by the number of slug-holding clips on wheel 62. Brake assembly 74 stops transfer wheel 62 so as to prevent further rotation of transfer wheel 62.

With each indexing of stock transfer wheel 62, a slug 106 is positioned in the horizontal plane in which forging dies 56 rotate whereby a slug 106 is grasped by the rectilinearly approaching forging dies 56 and removed from slug-holding clips 78. The slug is then forged in the well known manner. It will be appreciated that the transfer wheel is spaced from the vertical plane defined by the forging wheel stationary shafts a distance such that a slug of a predetermined length will be grasped securely by the closing dies. Furthermore, the width of transfer wheel 62 and clips 78 are adapted to prevent contact with such forging dies. Where the apparatus is to be used for slugs of differing length, as required by the volume of metal to be forged, the transfer wheel may be adjustably positioned toward or away from the forging wheels. Of course, guide and shear block 88 and ram housing 94 will also be adjustable in relation to slot to produce a slug of variable length.

It should be understood that while the indexing mechanism described above comprising a drive gear and gear rack may be used for rotating stock transfer wheel 62, other types of mechanical systems, such as a Geneva-motion device, for converting translatory to rotating motion may be used.

Moreover, it will be noted that the cut off ram is positioned, and the transfer wheel is provided with a suitable number of slug holding means so that when the transfer wheel is stationary, one slug is moved into one of such slug holding clips while a second slug is extracted from a second of such clips. It has been found that this arrangement greatly facilitates the rapid operation of the rotary forging apparatus so as to provide a high production rate.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Accordingly, the aim in the appended claims are to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary forging apparatus comprising (a) a frame;

(b) a pair of spaced apart co-planar forging wheels rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said forging wheels supporting at least one forging die complementary with the at least one forging die sup ported on said other forging wheel;

(0) means for continuously and synchronously rotating said forging wheels so that said complementary forging dies move through tangential circular paths whereby each pair of complementary forging dies close in the course of their circular movement;

(d) each of said forging wheels includes means for aligning and maintaining each pair of complementary forging dies in opposed realtion so that said pair of complementary forging dies close toward one another rectilinearly;

(e) a forging slug transfer wheel rotatably supported by said frame and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane defined by said forging die circular paths, said forging slug transfer wheel supporting a plurality of spaced apart slug holding means on the peripheral edge thereof;

(f) means for advancing rod stock;

(g) means for severing a forging slug from said rod stock and moving said slug into one of said slug holding means; and

(h) means for indexing said forging slug transfer wheel in synchronism with said continuously rotating forging wheels so that said forging slug transfer wheel is stationary when one of said slugs is moved into one of said slug holding means and so that one of said slugs is simultaneously positioned in the plane defined by said forging die circular paths and is removed from its slug holding means by the rectilinear closing of one of said pair of complementary forging dies moving along circular paths.

2. The forging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for severing and moving a forging slug comprises a stock guide and shear block mounted on said frame and a hydraulically operated reciprocating cut-01f ram mounted on said frame and positioned immediately above said forging slug transfer wheel, and said rod stock, whereby the down-stroke of said cut-off ram simultaneously severs said forging slug and moves said slug into said slug holding means.

3. The rotary forging apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said forging wheels are rotatably mounted on a stationary vertical shaft and includes:

(a) a driven gear rotatably mounted on said stationary shaft engaging the driven gear of the other of said forging wheels and also engaging said means for continuously and synchronously rotating said forging wheels;

(b) a die carrier housing rotatably supporting a plurality of die carriers and rotatably mounted on said stationary shaft below said driven gear;

(0) a forging die mounted on each of said die carriers;

and

(d) each of said means for aligning and maintaining each pair of complementary forging dies in opposed relation comprises an epicyclic gear train disposed between said driven gear and said carrier housing.

4. The rotary forging apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of said epicyclic gear trains includes:

(a) a fixed gear supported by said stationary shaft;

(b) at least one idler gear radially spaced from said fixed gear and fixedly mounted on a shaft rotatably supported by said driven gear and said die carrier housing, said idler gears engaging said fixed gear; and

(c) at least one die carrier gear radially spaced from said fixed gear and fixedly mounted on a shaft supporting said die carrier, said shaft being rotatably mounted in said die carrier housing, each of said die carrier gears engaging one of said idler gears, and each of said die carrier gears and said fixed gear having the same number of gear teeth.

5. In a rotary forging apparatus comprising a frame including upper and lower members, a pair of spaced-apart stationary vertical shafts mounted between said upper and lower frame members, a pair of forging wheels rotatably mounted on said shafts and disposed in a horizontal plane, one of said forging wheels supporting at least one forging die, and the other of said wheels supporting at least one complementary forging die, means for continuously and synchronously rotating said forging wheels so that said complementary forging dies move through tangential circular paths whereby each pair of complementary forging dies close in the course of their circular movement, and gear means for aligning and maintaining each pair of complementary forging dies in opposed relation so that said pair of complementary forging dies close toward one another rectilinearly, the improvement comprising in combination with said forging means, a forging slug transfer wheel rotatably supported-,in said frame and disposed in a vertical plane intersecting the point of tangency of said forging die circular paths, a plurality of forging slug releasable holding means supported on the peripheral edge of said transfer wheel, means for advancing a pre-determined length of rod stock above said transfer wheel to be severed into forging slugs, means for severing a forging slug from said rod stock and moving said slug into one of said releasable holding means, and means for indexing said transfer wheel in synchronism with said continuously rotating forging wheels so that one of said slugs is positioned in the horizontal plane defined by said complementary forging die tangential circular paths and is removed from said releasable holding means by the rectilinear closing of one of said pair of complementary forging dies moving along circular paths while said transfer wheel is stationary.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1957 Lewis 72-339 3/1966 Baumgartner et al. 72-185 US. Cl. X.R. 

